Hidden Darkness
by happycabbage
Summary: Adopted from Cheysuli. After the end of the Quest, Legolas is unaware that he and Gimli are the target of a madman. But that's not the only secret coming to light... Slash, AU, Mpreg
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hello Everybody! Happycabbage here. Just to let you all know, I did not write all of this fic. The first chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. I was lucky enough to claim this one, Hidden Darkness, before anybody else. So please remember, the intial idea and the first couple of chapters of this story are not mine or written by me, but by Cheysuli.

This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, this particular fanfiction was orignally Cheysuli's, but I am taking over. My writing won't come in until after the first chapters, which were written by Cheysuli.

**IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! ** While Cheysuli originally had eleven chapters of this story, I noticed they were almost ridiculously short compared to the length of chapters I write for my stories, so I will be combining some of her chapters together to make them longer. This post spans the first two chapters that Cheysuli wrote. I'll try to keep them as close to her original writing as possible, though I will be doing some editing for spelling and grammar. EVERYTHING between the rows of T's at the top and bottom of each chapter is Cheysuli's writing and author notes.

Okay, enjoy!

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**Hidden Darkness**

By

Cheysuli

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Special thanks to EtheLeA for letting me use one of her ideas.

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"Crazy Elf, what do you think you are doing?"

Legolas froze and slowly turned to face the angry dwarf. Gimli was sitting in a soft chair next to an empty bed and was glaring at the blonde elf. Legolas sighed. Gimli had been asleep only a moment ago and Legolas had hoped to escape the room unnoticed. Unfortunately, it seemed Gimli had not been as deeply asleep as he had hoped.

"Well?" Gimli asked again, when it seemed as if Legolas' attention had slipped. He was angry, but was also worried about the elf.

"I have work to do, Gimli," Legolas answered, looking longingly at the closed door. "The gardens-"

"Can wait," Gimli interrupted. The dwarf stood and walked towards his friend. "You need to rest, Legolas," he said, placing his hand on the elf's back and gently pushing him back towards the bed.

Legolas frowned and moved away from the dwarf, moving again to the door. "I am not tired."

Gimli swung around and placed himself between his friend and the room's only exit. He glared up at the tall elf, but his expression softened when he saw the fatigue in his friend's face. "Legolas," he said gently, "Ever since the War ended, you have worked non-stop to restore Gondor's gardens. You are exhausted." He frowned, suddenly remembering something. "And when was the last time you ate?"

Legolas cocked his head, thinking. "I….I don't know, Gimli. I guess I forgot."

"Forgot?" Gimli shook his head. "Only an elf would forget to eat." He stared worriedly at Legolas, who seemed about to fall asleep on his feet. He took the elf by the arm and once again tried to lead him to the bed. "You need to slow down, Legolas. Do you remember what happened this afternoon?"

Legolas tried to get his tired mind to focus and didn't protest when Gimli helped him sit on the bed. He remembered being in one of the palace gardens, trying to decide where to put the plants his father had sent from Mirkwood, and then….nothing. He shook his head and let Gimli push him down so he was lying on the bed. "I don't know, Gimli."

Gimli pulled the blankets over his friend and made sure Legolas was comfortable. "You collapsed, Legolas. One of the guards found you unconscious in a garden." He took a deep breath and smoothed Legolas' hair away from his face. "You gave me quite a scare."

Legolas closed his eyes, finally realizing how tired he actually was. "I'm sorry."

Gimli smiled and kissed Legolas on the head. "Get some rest, Legolas. I'll be right here." He smoothed Legolas' hair and laughed quietly when he realized that the elf was already asleep.

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Gimli yawned as he watched the sleeping elf. He had been sitting by the bed for hours now, knowing that if he went to sleep Legolas would be gone when he awoke. _'Crazy elf,'_ he thought while trying to get more comfortable. _'Doesn't even know enough to take care of himself.'_ He sighed and leaned closer to the bed, pushing Legolas' hair out of his face.

He moved away when he heard someone tap quietly on the door, not wanting anyone to see how worried he was. He stood and quickly walked to the door, opening it and letting Aragorn in.

Aragorn smiled when he saw Legolas; the elf looked like a child beneath all those blankets. "How long has he been asleep, Gimli?" he asked, whispering.

"Three hours," Gimli answered, glancing over at the bed. "Is there something you need, Aragorn?"

Aragorn nodded, frowning. "I was going to examine him before I went to bed," he said, turning back towards the door, "but seeing as he's finally asleep, I think I'll wait until morning."

Gimli nodded and followed Aragorn. He was about to close the door when Aragorn turned back and looked at him. "You'd better get some sleep yourself, Gimli. He's not going anywhere." He smirked, glancing over at the sleeping elf. "If he even _tries_ to leave this room, there are five guards between here and the gardens."

Gimli chuckled, shaking his head. "And I suppose you ordered them to return him to his room if they see him."

Aragorn nodded, laughing. "You know me too well, my friend," he said, looking back at Gimli. "_Are _you going to get some sleep?"

Gimli frowned and shook his head. "I think I'll stay and keep an eye on him. Someone has to take care of him since he won't."

Aragorn studied him for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Good night."

"Good night," Gimli said, closing the door. He turned and walked over to the bed, glaring at the hard wooden chair. He glanced at the bed, then back at the chair. If what Aragorn had said was true, and there _were_ guards that would watch for Legolas, then he could get some sleep. But he couldn't sleep in that uncomfortable chair. He yawn and looked back at the bed, shrugging. _'It's not like we've never shared a bed before,' _he thought, pulling off his boots and crawling under the covers.

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Gimli blinked and tried to stretch as he woke up, failing when he realized something was on top of him. _'What?' _he thought, tiredly. He lifted his head and looked down, smiling when he saw that Legolas was using him as a pillow.

He rested his head back on the pillow, hugging the elf closer even before he realized that sometime during the night, he had wrapped his arms around Legolas. Gimli sighed and closed his eyes, waiting for the elf to wake up.

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It was just ten minutes later when Gimli felt Legolas start to wake. The elf sighed, moving closer to Gimli, and opened his eyes.

Legolas stayed still for a moment, trying to remember where he was. He relaxed when he recognized the body he was up against and looked up, blinking. "Gimli?"

Gimli smiled and pushed the elf's hair behind a pointed ear. "Yes, Legolas?"

Legolas frowned, looking confused. "What happened?" he asked, yawning, before burying his face in the dwarf's beard.

"You fainted in the garden, remember?"

Legolas shivered and tried to move even closer to Gimli's warm body. Gimli frowned. _'He can't be cold, can he?'_ He reached down and grabbed the blanket, pulling it up to Legolas' neck. He tucked the blanket around the elf before wrapping his arms around Legolas, fully aware that Legolas was not about to give up his pillow anytime soon.

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End Chapter 1

HC's notes: Like I said before, I've chosen to leave the first eleven chapters intact and the way Cheysuli originally wrote them. I'm just grouping a few chapters together at a time to make the posts longer. I'll be posting these once a week, so I should have time to get a start on the part I get to write. w

Please review! And please keep in mind, I am mostly looking for thoughts on what could happen later on in the story. I only have what Cheysuli wrote; she had no notes to pass on to me, so I'm just as clueless as everybody else is on where this story was originally meant to go! So if you are one of the ones who read this before I took over, please tell me any and all ideas you had about what Cheysuli was going to write next!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. I was lucky enough to claim this one, Hidden Darkness, before anybody else. This part of the story was written by Cheysuli, not me. While Cheysuli originally had eleven chapters of this story, I noticed they were almost ridiculously short compared to the length of chapters I write for my stories, so I will be combining some of her chapters together.

This is chapter two.

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**Hidden Darkness**

By: Cheysuli

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: MPREG

A/N: Special thanks to EtheLeA for letting me use one of her ideas. And thanks to Sarah and Dawn for teaching me a bit about pregnancy.

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Aragorn knocked quietly, waiting a moment before pushing the door open and entering Legolas' room. The sight he saw stopped him in his tracks and he stood gaping at the elf and dwarf. _'Gimli had better not have tired him out further,'_ he thought, studying how Legolas and Gimli seemed to be wrapped around each other. He then realized what he had just thought. _'By the Valar, Thranduil is going to __**kill**__ them!'_

He shook his head and thanked every deity he could think of that Legolas' father wasn't here to see his son in bed with a dwarf. He sighed, walking over to the bed and gently shaking Gimli awake.

Gimli groaned quietly and opened his eyes so he could glare at whoever was shaking him. "I was not asleep," he whispered, absent-mindedly twirling a lock of Legolas' hair around his finger.

The man cocked an eyebrow at the action. "Then why didn't you answer when I knocked?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

Gimli sighed and glanced at the still sleeping elf in his arms. "I didn't want to wake him by moving or yelling."

Aragorn frowned, mildly surprised that all their talking hadn't disturbed Legolas but wasn't concerned; the elf _was_ suffering from exhaustion. _'I wouldn't be surprised if sounding the horn of Gondor directly in his ear wouldn't wake him.'_

He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "We need to wake him anyways," he said, no longer whispering. "I need to examine him and he needs to eat." He frowned at the elf's pale features and moved closer, laying his hand on Legolas' cheek. "He seems cold," he said, concerned.

Gimli nodded. "He was shivering earlier when he woke. And he seemed a bit confused." He stroked Legolas' hair and gently shook the elf awake.

Aragorn frowned. "Confused?" he asked, watching as Legolas moved and began to wake. "How so?"

Gimli sat up, moving Legolas so the elf's head was on the pillow. "He didn't remember what had happened," he said, smiling at Legolas who was now blinking tiredly up at him. He was worried about how long it was taking the elf to wake up; he was used to Legolas waking at the slightest noise and he had just slept through a conversation.

Legolas scowled up at them once he was aware enough to realize that they were talking about him. "I'm fine," he said, his voice hoarse.

Gimli snorted. "Sure you are, you crazy elf," he said shaking his head and helping Legolas sit up. Legolas leaned heavily against him and winced, rubbing his stomach.

Aragorn cocked an eyebrow, noticing the action. "Is your stomach bothering you, Legolas?"

Legolas paled even more and forced himself to move his hand away. "No," he said, a bit too quickly. "I… It's just… I'm a bit hungry," he said finally, hoping they would believe him.

Aragorn and Gimli looked at each other, confused, before returning their attention to the suddenly nervous elf. "I asked the servants to send up some food, don't worry," Aragorn said, frowning slightly. "Is there anything wrong, Legolas? Do you feel unwell?"

Legolas shook his head and began playing with Gimli's beard, braiding a few strands together. After he had added have a dozen braids to the dwarf's thick beard, he finally looked up at Aragorn. "I'm fine," he said again, hoping they would believe him this time.

Aragorn almost laughed when he saw what Legolas had done but stopped himself just in time, remembering what had happened the _last_ time he laughed at the dwarf. He had no desire to repeat that experience… _ever_.

The dwarf scowled at Aragorn but refrained from voicing his displeasure at the braids or at the man's amusement. There was no need to upset Legolas over the state of Gimli's beard.

Legolas, oblivious to his friends' moods, returned his attention to Gimli's beard, adding more braids. _'Please leave,'_ he thought, not wanting them to find out why he was acting so strange. He wanted no one to know his secret, Gimli least of all. _'I shouldn't have had so much to drink,'_ he thought, thinking back to the night the fellowship had celebrated Sauron's fall.

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_**3 months ago**_

Legolas hid in a dark corner, trying to escape notice. He hated these kinds of parties; smoke wafting through the room, loud singing and crashes, and flashes of light from the corner where Gandalf was trying to impress the younger men and women with small firework butterflies.

Legolas had long since lost sight of Gimli, the one who had convinced him to attend the party. The dwarf had disappeared nearly the moment they had arrived. Legolas would have left immediately but Aragorn had seen him and had pulled him onto the dance floor. Luckily, Arwen chose that moment to arrive had Aragorn's attention had switch from him to the lady.

Legolas sighed, rubbing his forehead. All the smoke and loud noises had given him a pounding headache. He wanted very badly to leave but to do so, he'd have to cross the room and inevitably draw attention to himself. It seemed that every human, be it male or female, were fascinated by elves. Arwen only escaped their attentions because she was the King's betrothed; unfortunately Legolas had no such protection.

He winced as a man fell to the floor in front of him. He pushed himself as far into the shadows as he could, waiting for the drunk human to get up and leave. After a few moments, he realized that the man had passed out; so Legolas moved away from his corner hoping to be out of sight before others came to drag the man to bed.

Legolas wove through the crowd, keeping his head down and not looking anyone in the eye. He walked towards the wine barrels; hopefully another cup or two would help dull his headache.

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Legolas winced as he woke the next morning. _'I really shouldn't have had that ninth cup of wine,'_ he thought, closing his eyes and turning away from the sunlight that fell on his face. _'Wait a minute. The sun doesn't hit my bed,'_ he thought, sitting up. He winced as he felt a deep ache in his lower body but dismissed the feeling as he gazed around the room. _'Why am I in Gimli's bed?'_

Sudden movement to his left drew his attention to the dwarf that slept beside him. The very _naked_ dwarf. _'Why is he naked?'_ he thought, shocked. He had seen Gimli naked before while bathing in a river, that wasn't what shocked him. What surprised him was that he was in bed with a naked dwarf and he didn't remember how he got there.

Legolas felt a breeze come through the open window and hit his skin. He hesitated a moment, then looked down. '_I'm naked and in bed with a naked dwarf.'_

He paled, suddenly realizing what the ache meant. _'No, no, __**no**__!'_ He slid out of bed, careful not to wake Gimli; he really didn't want to explain this. He search frantically for his clothes, finding them scattered about the room. He pulled them on quickly and glanced around the room, making sure he had everything.

He left them room in a hurry, still trying to convince himself that he hadn't slept with his best friend.

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_**Now**_

Fortunately, Gimli hadn't remembered that night; or at least he pretended not to. Legolas had spent the next few months doing everything he could to avoid the dwarf, which was why he worked so hard on the gardens. Although, it wasn't until a few weeks ago that he had really started to push himself to the limit. _'Which is why I passed out,'_ he told himself, seeing how worried his friends were. _'Well,' _he thought, placing a hand on his stomach. _'One of the reasons.'_

Aragorn frowned when he noticed the way Legolas' attention drifted. _'He seems to have problems concentrating,'_ he thought, adding it to his mental list of Legolas' symptoms. He saw Legolas start to rub his stomach again. "The food should be here in a few minutes," he said, moving to sit on the chair next to the bed.

Gimli was relieved that Legolas had stopped braiding his beard but was slightly worried about the way Legolas was acting. And not just today, the elf had been acting strange ever since the celebration a few months ago. _'Something must have happened at the party, that started all this. But what?'_ He tried to think of anything that might have caused it but most of that night was a complete blank. All he knew was that he must have had a good time, judging by the size of the hangover he had the next morning. _'I'll have to ask Aragorn later.'_

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End Chapter 2

HC's Note: Once again, the first chapters aren't mine. Please review! I need ideas for where people want to see this fic go!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. I was lucky enough to claim this one, Hidden Darkness, before anybody else. This part of the story was written by Cheysuli, not me. While Cheysuli originally had eleven chapters of this story, I noticed they were almost ridiculously short compared to the length of chapters I write for my stories, so I will be combining some of her chapters together.

Here's chapter three!

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**Hidden Darkness**

By: Cheysuli

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: MPREG

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Legolas had reluctantly allowed Aragorn to examine him and had sat perfectly still while the man checked him over. However, he did keep his arms wrapped around his waist as if to ward off Aragorn's hands.

Aragorn noticed this but didn't question the elf. Now that he had determined Legolas hadn't been injured when he collapsed, his only concern was getting some food into his friend. A servant had brought breakfast just a moment ago and Aragorn now turned his attention to the steaming food.

"What's this?" he asked, picking up a folded piece of paper that had come with breakfast. He noticed Legolas' name on it and turned to hand it to the elf, who was still leaning against Gimli.

Legolas took it and looked at it distractedly as Aragorn turned to get the food. He unfolded it, and studied the drawing in his hands.

It was a picture of him in the garden, lying on the ground. A trowel rested next to his outstretched hand and a fern waiting to be planted lay disturbed next to a shallow hole. He appeared to be asleep, a peaceful expression on his face.

Gimli studied the drawing from his place slightly behind Legolas. It was a very skilled drawing, with intricate details perfectly done suggesting the artist had spent much time studying his model. Gimli half expected the Legolas on the paper to open his eyes and smile at him.

"So what is it?" Aragorn asked again as he returned with a bowl of oatmeal for Legolas. Normally, he would have asked for fruit for Legolas but the elf needed something more filling at the moment.

"It's nothing," Legolas answered, refolding the paper and setting it on the bed. "Just another drawing," he continued as he took the bowl from Aragorn and scowled at its contents. He hated oatmeal.

"Another?" Gimli asked, reaching around Legolas as Aragorn handed him some sausage.

Legolas nodded, taking a hesitant bite of his breakfast and trying not to gag at the taste. "I find them all the time; usually in an empty flower pot or next to a watering can. This is the first that's come to my room."

"Are they all of you?" the dwarf asked, sharing a concerned look with Aragorn, who was eating his own breakfast.

"Yes," Legolas answered, not sure why they were questioning him about this. They were just drawings. "I have a whole drawer full," he continued, pointing to his dresser. "They're all of me; in the gardens, the dining hall, throne room, the baths-"

"The baths?!" Gimli interrupted, obviously angry. _'No one follows my elf into the baths,'_ he thought, not realizing he had referred to Legolas as his.

Aragorn also seemed upset. "Legolas, do you have any idea who leaves these drawings?"

Legolas looked confused and appeared to be on the verge of tears. "Why? Is something wrong?" he asked, dropping his empty bowl and wrapping his arms around himself. "They're just drawings."

Aragorn stared helplessly at the upset elf. Gimli had pulled Legolas back against him, whispering soothingly to the upset elf. Aragorn shook his head slightly as whatever Gimli had said sent Legolas into a fit of giggles.

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"Estel, wait up!"

Aragorn slowed his pace, glancing behind, and smiled as he saw his wife running towards him. He let her catch up before continuing down the hall. "Arwen, is something wrong?" he asked, wondering what she was doing in this part of the palace.

Aragorn had been heading down to the guard barracks, hoping to speak with the captain about increasing the guards that protected the guest halls. Hopefully, they would be able to keep Legolas safe from his stalker.

"I should be asking you that," Arwen said, tearing Aragorn's thoughts from Legolas. "I've just been to see how Legolas was feeling," she continued, "and Gimli told me you were going to talk to the guards." She looked at him curiously. "Why is that?"

Aragorn hesitated, debating whether or not he should answer. "Gimli is still with him?" he asked, hoping to distract her. He didn't want her to worry.

Arwen frowned, but allowed him to stall. "Yes, he was. He was telling Legolas a story, I think." She laughed, remembering what she had seen when she had entered the room. "And Legolas was braiding poor Gimli's beard."

Aragorn stopped suddenly and looked around nervously, causing Arwen to watch in amusement. When he was certain they were truly alone, he leaned in close to his wife's ear and whispered, "Never laugh at a Dwarf."

Arwen cocked and eyebrow, smiling. "And why is that? Does this have something to do with the time you disappeared last week after making fun of something Gimli did?" she asked innocently.

Aragorn blushed and looked at the floor, suddenly finding it very interesting. _'I never knew there was a pattern here,'_ he thought, seeing how the stone tiles were arranged. He continued to study the floor, trying to forget what had happened a week before.

He and Gimli and gone to inspect one of the lower walls that had fallen during the war. While they were seeing how strong the remaining wall was, Gimli had been bragging about dwarven skills. He had just finished saying how sure footed dwarves were when it came to stone when the boulder he had been standing on had shifted and sent him sprawling in the dirt.

'_I shouldn't have laughed,'_ Aragorn thought, finally looking away from the floor.

Arwen smirked and decided to have mercy on him... So to speak. "You never answered my earlier question. Why do you need to speak with the guards?"

Aragorn sighed, slightly relieved. "I want to increase the guards in the guest wing," he said, continuing on down the hall.

Arwen looked confused as she followed her husband. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Aragorn nodded. "I think Legolas has a stalker," he answered. "He keeps receiving drawings of himself and he doesn't know who's sending them." He frowned, confused. "Strange thing is, he doesn't seem too concerned."

Arwen had grown steadily more worried as Aragorn spoke. Poor Legolas; he wouldn't know what to make of this. "Of course he isn't, Estel," she said. "He is young. To him, danger comes from orcs and spiders, not someone who he considers an ally and that may be living under the same roof."

Aragorn frowned, thinking. Legolas _was_ young for an elf, only about five hundred years old, but surely he was old enough to know of dangers such as this.

Arwen seemed to read his thoughts, for she continued. "His father is extremely protective, Estel. He wouldn't know."

Aragorn nodded, stopping in front of the door to the Captain's office. "Will you be coming in?" he asked as he knocked on the door.

Arwen shook her head. "I think I'll go check on Legolas again. See what else he has done to Gimli," she said, turning to head back down the hall.

"Don't laugh!" Aragorn warned, just before the door opened.

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"Where are we going, Gimli?"

Gimli looked up at Legolas, keeping a firm grip on the elf's arm as he led him down the hall. "We are going to the locksmith," he answered, turning a corner. After Aragorn had left, Gimli had begun to think of ways to protect Legolas. Obviously, guards weren't enough if this artist had gotten a hold of Legolas' breakfast. What if next time, placing a piece of parchment on the tray wasn't all he did?

Gimli shuddered, imagining all sorts of things that could happen to Legolas. He slowed to a stop, causing the elf to bump into him. Glancing up at his tired friend, he realized that he should have left Legolas in his room so the poor elf could rest, as he was obviously exhausted. But that would have meant leaving him alone while Gimli went down to the locksmith; and that was something Gimli didn't want to do.

"Why?"

Gimli jumped, for a moment thinking Legolas had read his thoughts before realizing what the elf meant. "We are going to get some locks for your door," he answered and once again began pulling Legolas down the hall; slower this time.

Legolas frowned as he followed the dwarf. "But my door already has a lock," he said, wrapping his free arm around his waist. Breakfast didn't seem to be agreeing with him and he felt slightly sick. "Please, Gimli. Can we go back to my room?" he asked, trying to free himself from the dwarf's grip.

Gimli shook his head, pulling absentmindedly at one of the many braids that now decorated his beard. "You can never have too many locks."

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He watched as the dwarf pulled the beautiful elf down the dark hall, frowning when he saw how pale Legolas was. _'He's so rough with you, my love. You deserve so much better.'_

He followed slowly, keeping to the shadows, as the elf and dwarf turned a corner. _'You should be protected; worshiped.'_

The figure sighed and turned away as he saw them reach the locksmith. He walked slowly back down the hall, clutching a folded piece of parchment in his hands. _'Yes, my love. You shall be worshiped.'_

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End Chapter 3

HC's Note: Once again, the first chapters aren't mine. Please review! I need ideas for where people want to see this fic go!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. I was lucky enough to claim this one, Hidden Darkness, before anybody else. This part of the story was written by Cheysuli, not me. While Cheysuli originally had eleven chapters of this story, I noticed they were almost ridiculously short compared to the length of chapters I write for my stories, so I will be combining some of her chapters together.

Here's chapter 4

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**Hidden Darkness**

By: Cheysuli

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: MPREG

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Legolas watched tiredly as Gimli installed yet another dead-bolt lock on the door. "Tell me again why I need four locks on my door," he said, snuggling into his pillow. He didn't really care at this point; he felt tired, sick, and cold and all he wanted to do was go to sleep. But Gimli was making so much _noise_.

Gimli glanced towards Legolas, momentarily halting his work. "Like I said; you can never have too many locks," he said, testing the newest lock before putting away his tools and walking over to the bed. He felt slightly guilty when he saw exactly how tired his friend was; Legolas could barely keep his eyes open.

He frowned, staring down at the exhausted elf. _'I really shouldn't have dragged him halfway across the palace,'_ he thought, smoothing Legolas' hair away from his face.

Legolas sighed; Gimli seemed to have a calming effect on him recently. He reached up and weakly grabbed Gimli's wrist, tugging gently. "Tired."

Gimli stared at him, confused. _'Of course he's tired. What- Oh.'_ Gimli smiled, remembering last night, and settled in the bed next to Legolas, hugging him close.

Legolas smiled, snuggling against the dwarf. He knew he really shouldn't be doing this, inviting his best friend to his bed. It wasn't like they were doing anything. No matter how much he wanted to.

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_**A few days later**_

"Come in," Aragorn said, looking up from his papers as he waited for whoever had knocked to enter. He had neglected his paperwork during the last few days, being worried about Legolas' safety, and now had to rush to complete some documents. Some times, he really hated being king.

"My lord," a guard said as he entered the king's study. "You're needed in Prince Legolas' room."

Aragorn frowned, concerned. "Is something wrong?" he asked, standing from his chair and walking towards the door.

The Guard nodded. "Lord Gimli said that Prince Legolas was ill."

Aragorn paused just as he reached the still open door. Ill? Elves only got ill if they were wounded or… or if they were poisoned.

Aragorn cursed and raced down the hall.

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Gimli looked up from tending to Legolas as someone pounded on the door. "Aragorn? Is that you?" he asked, setting down the damp washcloth he had been using on Legolas' face.

"Gimli, let me in," Aragorn said, his voice muffled.

Gimli quickly walked across the room and unlocked the door. "Legolas has a fever, Aragorn. I thought elves didn't get sick!" he exclaimed, returning to the bed where Legolas was sleeping.

"They don't usually," Aragorn said, placing his hand on Legolas' forehead, frowning when he felt the heat radiating from his friend. "Besides the fever, did you notice any other symptoms?" he asked.

Gimli nodded. "He kept shivering earlier and he looked a bit nauseas."

Aragorn frowned, running his hands down Legolas' body, looking for anything that would explain his illness. "Is he asleep or unconscious?"

"Asleep," Gimli answered. "He was extremely restless last night. Didn't sleep at all."

Aragorn cocked an eyebrow when he heard that Gimli had stayed with Legolas last night, but didn't comment on it. He frowned, noticing something extremely odd when he ran his hands over Legolas' belly. "What's this?" he asked, lifting up the elf's shirt.

He paled at what he saw, suddenly remembering something else that could make an elf sick. "By the Valar," he breathed, staring at Legolas' slightly swollen belly.

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End Chapter 4

HC's Note: You should no the drill by now; not my writing yet, review so I know what to write when I get there, blah-de-blah-blah…


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. I was lucky enough to claim this one, Hidden Darkness, before anybody else. This part of the story was written by Cheysuli, not me. While Cheysuli originally had eleven chapters of this story, I noticed they were almost ridiculously short compared to the length of chapters I write for my stories, so I will be combining some of her chapters together.

Okay, so I'm updating early. Don't get used to it. I won't be home for the next week or so, and unfortunately I have to leave my beloved laptop behind, which is why I'm updating today instead of Monday. Enjoy it while it lasts!

This be chapter 5

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**Hidden Darkness**

By: Cheysuli

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: MPREG

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"He's what?!"

Aragorn sighed, running his hand through his hair as he looked at the shocked dwarf. "He's pregnant, Gimli," he repeated, collapsing in the closest chair. "By my guess, he's about three months along."

Gimli gaped at him, having a hard time believing what he had just heard. _'Pregnant? But he's… he's…' _"He's male," he said, finishing his thought aloud. He glanced at Legolas, who was still asleep. Now that he knew what to look for, he could see the gentle swell of Legolas' belly that the Elf's arms had hidden from him before.

Aragorn nodded. "Yes, he is. But that doesn't make a difference for a Mirkwood Elf," he said, leaning back in his chair. His concern for Legolas had just increased tenfold. Pregnancy was extremely dangerous for a male. They became vulnerable to illness, susceptible to the weather, they were weaker; no wonder Legolas seemed so out of it these past few months.

Gimli frowned, still confused as to how this was possible but finally accepting that it _was_ possible. "Do you think he knows?" he asked, sitting on the bed and taking Legolas' hand in his.

Aragorn looked incredulously at the Dwarf. "Does he know? Of _course_ he knows, Gimli! He would have known the minute he started to show," he said, standing up and beginning to pace the length of the room.

Gimli watched him for a moment before turning his attention back to Legolas, studying the Elf's flushed features. "Why did he hide it?" he asked quietly, brushing a strand of golden hair away from Legolas' face.

Aragorn frowned, pausing to stare out the window. "I don't know, Gimli. Maybe he was scared."

Gimli laughed in disbelief. "Scared? Of what? Being pregnant?"

Aragorn nodded, returning to the bed and staring down at its sleeping occupant. "Possibly. Or of how we would react."

Gimli nodded; he could understand that. A few years ago, his sister had tried to hide her pregnancy. It wasn't until her fifth month that their parents had found out; they were furious that she had gotten pregnant out of wedlock. Fortunately, the Dwarf that had gotten her pregnant agreed to marry her.

Gimli tore himself from his thoughts and glanced back at Aragorn. "Who do you think the father is?"

Aragorn frowned, trying to think of any male that Legolas might have had contact with three months ago. "I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe Arwen would know."

Gimli nodded absently, trying to think. "Well, whoever has been spending time with him recently is most likely the father."

Aragorn cocked his head, mentally going through every male Legolas knew in Gondor. He caught his breath when he realized that Legolas had rarely spoken to anyone these past three months. "Gimli, I don't think anyone's spent much time with him," he whispered, dismayed. "He's never spoken of anyone and no one ever speaks of him, outside of normal curiosity."

Gimli paled. "You mean the father _left_ him?!" he growled, anger flowing through him. "If I ever find out who did it, I'm going to _kill_ them!"

Aragorn nodded, feeling angry himself. "You'll have plenty of help, my friend," he said, gazing sympathetically at the pregnant Elf. "In the meantime, we must do our best to convince him he's not alone."

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Loud voices lured Legolas from his dreams and he slowly struggled to wakefulness. The voices sounded upset about something, angry, and he was curious as to what was wrong. The voices stopped just before he was fully awake and he heard the sound of a door closing as he blinked open his eyes, gazing blearily at his friends.

Aragorn was standing at a table, making what seemed to be a cup of tea, while Gimli was staring at Legolas as if he had just grown another head. Legolas frowned. "What's wrong?"

Aragorn and Gimli shared a look before the Man walked over to the bed, holding a steaming cup of tea. "Drink this, Legolas. It will help bring down your fever," he said, grateful that the healer had arrived quickly. A fever could be deadly for Legolas in his condition and he wanted to ensure that it went no higher than it already was.

Legolas looked suspiciously at the tea, feeling nervous about taking any kind of medication. _'What if-'_

"It won't harm the child," Aragorn said, interrupting Legolas' thoughts and thoroughly shocking the elf.

Legolas caught his breath and tried to back away from them, his gaze flitting from Gimli to Aragorn before returning to the dwarf. _'They know! They know!'_ he thought in despair, wrapping his arms protectively around his belly. He looked away, feeling close to tears. What would they think of him now? Pregnant and alone.

Gimli frowned, moving to sit on the bed, and placed his hand on Legolas' shoulder, sensing that that was all that would be allowed at this moment. "It's okay, Legolas. Your friends will be with you every step of the way. We'll take care of you," he said, giving Legolas' shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Aragorn nodded and handed Gimli the tea, thinking that the dwarf might have better luck in convincing Legolas to drink it. Gimli just looked at it for a moment before holding it up to Legolas. "Drink," the dwarf said softly. "That fever is doing you no good."

Legolas sniffed and wiped at his eyes before looking back at Gimli, wordlessly taking the tea from him and swallowing the foul tasting medicine. Returning the empty mug to Gimli, he did his best to ignore the bitter taste that lingered in his mouth as he waited to see what they would do next.

Amazed at how quickly Legolas had obeyed the dwarf, Aragorn stood gaping at the two on the bed. _'I have to fight him tooth and nail to get him to take medicine and all Gimli has to do is __**tell**__ him to?' _He shook himself from his thoughts and asked a question that had been plaguing him since he had discovered Legolas' secret. "Legolas, who's the father?"

Legolas just shook his head, glancing quickly at Gimli before turning his gaze towards his blankets.

"Legolas," Gimli soothed, moving closer and wrapping his arm around Legolas' waist. "Please tell us so we can go hunt him down for abandoning you!"

Legolas snapped his head up and stared hard at the dwarf. "What? No!" he shouted, shaking his head and pushing himself away from Gimli. "He would never have- He's not like- He doesn't know!"

Aragorn sighed at Legolas' broken denial. "What do you mean he _doesn't know_?" he asked, wondering why Legolas would keep this knowledge from the child's sire.

Legolas sighed, thinking back to that night. "We were drunk, Aragorn. He probably doesn't even remember that night."

Gimli frowned. "How is it that you remember and he doesn't?" he asked, wondering who the idiot was that had forgotten a night spent with the beautiful elf.

"I don't either, Gimli," Legolas answered, feeling a bit calmer now that he didn't feel as sick as he had a moment ago. "I woke up naked and sore in his bed. I panicked and left before he woke."

As Gimli listened to Legolas, his memory stirred a bit, finding something slightly familiar in what Legolas said. But no matter how hard he tried, he just could place it and he shook his head, pushing the thought to the back of his mind.

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Arwen sighed and sat down her book; it was hard to concentrate on a silly romance novel while she was so concerned about Legolas. Standing from the couch, she crossed her room to stand next to the large window.

She thought hard, trying to figure out who might be Legolas' stalker. He hadn't had much contact with anyone since the war ended; just gardeners, mostly. _'One of them?'_ she wondered, before shaking her head. _'No. Alric has just gotten married and Dreogan has been with his wife for thirty years. No, it's not one of them.'_

She tried to remember every moment within the recent past where Legolas was mentioned, but could only recall him being mentioned in passing. Except at the party a few months ago; there were a few men there who had made some rather rude comments about him. She narrowed her eyes, suddenly remembering something else that had happened at the party.

She had seen a man, clad in a dark cloak, speaking with Legolas. By the looks of things, the man had been trying to lure her very drunk friend away from the party, steering him away from the crowd by wrapping an arm around Legolas' waist.

She had been about to ask Aragorn to interfere when she noticed Gimli staggering up to them and practically ripping Legolas from the stranger's arms. She had allowed her attention to return to her conversation with her father, confident that Gimli would take care of Legolas, and had thought no more of the incident.

Until now.

She gasped and raced out of the room and towards the guest hall, knowing that she had found the stalker. Now all she needed was Legolas and Gimli's help to identify him.

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Legolas sat perfectly motionless as Aragorn's hands ran over his belly. The man had insisted on examining Legolas, having realized the elf hadn't yet seen a healer about his condition. Gimli sat nearby, watching curiously as the man pressed gently against the swollen belly while making small sounds of concern. Finally, the man sat back, frowning. "You're too thin."

Legolas cocked his head then looked down at his belly. "But I'm getting fat," he said, pouting. To him, it seemed as if he had gained a few pounds, not lost any. So why did Aragorn say he was too thin?

Aragorn sighed. "Legolas, for as long as I've known you, you have always been a bit underweight. It was never cause for concern before but now that you're pregnant, it could harm the child. You need to gain some weight."

"Aragorn is right, Legolas," Gimli said. Until this point, he had been content to just sit back and listen but now he felt he had to do something to make Legolas understand. "You don't want the baby to be small and sickly when it's born, do you?" he asked gently.

Legolas shook his head, his eyes wide. "No! It- it could really hurt the baby?" he asked desperately, staring at Aragorn. "I'm hurting my baby?"

Silently cursing Gimli for upsetting Legolas, Aragorn leaned forward and caught Legolas in a gentle hug. "You're not hurting your baby," he whispered, stroking Legolas' hair. "But you do need to gain some weight."

Legolas nodded and moved away from the man, wiping his tear-filled eyes. He didn't like that he was being so emotional, but lately everything seemed to upset him.

Gimli, who had realized too late exactly how his words effected Legolas, opened his mouth to apologize but was interrupted by a loud, persistent banging. "Who is it?" he shouted, glaring at the door.

"It's Arwen!" a female voice said. "Let me in, Gimli. I need to talk to you."

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He watched from the shadows as the Queen entered the room. He was lucky that he had heard her running down the hall, the beads on her dress rattling and announcing her presence; otherwise she might have caught him.

He smiled happily as he remembered the conversation he had heard through the closed door. _'You are having a baby, my love! Such a beautiful baby it will be; just like you. Yes, just like you.'_

He looked down at the book he held in his hand, studying the quick sketch on the page. It was of Legolas, the naked elf laying stretched out on a pile of pillows, gazing at the artist seductively.

The man smiled and pulled a piece of charcoal out of his bag. After a few moments of editing, the elf was changed, his belly rounder and his expression now one of maternal pride.

'_So beautiful.'_

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End Chapter 5

HC's Note: (shiver) I remember reading this before Cheysuli put all her stuff up for adoption; the end of this chapter just gives me the creeps!

In other news, we're getting close to the end of Cheysuli's work, and then I'll get to start putting in the chapters I've written! Celebrate with me now!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. I was lucky enough to claim this one, Hidden Darkness, before anybody else. This part of the story was written by Cheysuli, not me. While Cheysuli originally had eleven chapters of this story, I noticed they were almost ridiculously short compared to the length of chapters I write for my stories, so I will be combining some of her chapters together.

Sorry I didn't post yesterday! I got pretty wrapped upin some chores around the house, and then my Dad was busy with the computer. So here you go! This is chapter 6, and is THE LAST OF CHEYSULI'S ORIGINAL WORK!

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**Hidden Darkness**

By: Cheysuli

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: MPREG

A/N: Many thanks to Mystkyten for her help.

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"So you believe that this man is Legolas' stalker?"

Arwen nodded at the Dwarf's question. "He has to be; he tried to take Legolas away from the celebration," she said, glancing quickly across the room to where her husband was talking to Legolas. For some reason, they seemed to fear that this kind of news would be too upsetting for him.

The moment she had entered the room, with determination in her eyes, Aragorn had gently pulled Legolas to his feet and led him across the room, leaving Gimli to speak to Arwen.

Gimli had protested at first, saying that he was the one who should be taking care of Legolas, but Aragorn had only smirked in amusement and told him that he still needed to check something.

That fact that they were treating Legolas, who was a skilled warrior, like he was made of spun glass had confused the Queen at first. However, she attributed them to the current happenings and pushed the thought from her mind.

Gimli shook his head, frowning as he tried to push back the fog that clouded his memories of that night.

He remembered the difficulty he had had convincing Legolas to attend the party, leading the reluctant elf down the hall towards loud singing and smoke-filled air; and he remembered, with shame, how he had abandoned the poor elf just moments after arriving.

He started chewing at his lip, trying to remember why he had left Legolas. He had seen someone standing in off to the side, that was why he left, but for the life of him he couldn't recall who it had been.

Pushing the thought away so he could go over it later, he turned his attention to remembering the rest of the night.

He had been drinking, quite a lot in fact, so his memories became increasingly incoherent until they finally blanked all together. He remembered nothing about a strange, cloaked man trying to steal his elf.

He sighed, looking up at the Queen. "I'm sorry, but I don't know who it could have been," he said, watching as Arwen's hopeful expression faded.

"It was Faramir."

Arwen turned to her husband, shock written on her features. "Faramir? But why would…?"

Aragorn smiled, helping Legolas lace up his shirt, although the elf hardly needed any help and was, in fact, trying to swat the man's hands away. "I saw how drunk Legolas was and Faramir was headed home anyways, so I asked him to return Legolas to the guest hall," the man said, finally stepping away from the annoyed elf and turned to face his wife. "And not two minutes later, he comes back, telling me that Gimli had decided to…" He paused and turned to a suddenly very upset looking Legolas in shock, his face pale. "To take Legolas to his rooms."

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It was if time had stopped; or at least slowed. As she tried to understand what had happened, Arwen felt as if she was the only one free of whatever spell had entrapped the others. _'What is going on? What is so important about Gimli taking Legolas to his room?'_ she wondered, studying her husband and friends.

Aragorn was staring hard at Legolas, his eyes full of disbelief and sudden realization. He made several quick, abortive movements towards Legolas, his hands almost touching the elf before jerking away.

Legolas was shaking, glancing nervously from Man to Dwarf as if he expected them attack him at any given moment. His arms were wrapped tightly around his waist and he was tense, prepared to bolt at the slightest sound.

It was Gimli that worried her, though. The dwarf had gone extremely pale; he was trembling, and appeared to be having trouble breathing. He seemed to be in some kind of shock. "Gimli?" Arwen whispered, both to ask if he was well as well as asking for an explanation.

Aragorn turned towards her, her voice bringing him out of his own shock, and he watched the dwarf intently, waiting for some kind of reaction as Legolas began shaking his head, fear shining in his eyes. _'What is he so afraid of?'_ she wondered, before turning back to Gimli.

Gimli didn't react for the longest time; but just as Arwen was about to repeat her question, the dwarf jerked forward, wobbling as if he had trouble keeping his balance. He glanced at her as if just realizing she was there before turning and walking to the door.

She watched as he opened the door, watched as he exited the room, and watched as he quietly closed the door.

And she watched as Legolas fell crying into her husband's arms, his quiet sobs the only sound in the suddenly cold room.

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End Chapter 6

HC's Note: (sigh) and that's where Cheysuli left off… which means all of the rest will be entirely written by me. Which means that I have a mission for you readers!

I am looking for your, the reader's, thoughts on what could happen next and later on in the story. I only have the chapters Cheysuli wrote; she had no notes to pass on to me, so I'm just as clueless as everybody else is on where this story was originally meant to go!

So please review and tell me any and all ideas you had about what Cheysuli was going to write next! I do have some plans, but I need something more to work with!


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. I was lucky enough to claim this one, Hidden Darkness, before anybody else.

I apologize profusely for the wait! I have been increasingly busy these past two weeks due to the fact that school has started up again, but thankfully, I had this Monday off for Labor Day, and I finally got on here to update! Yay, me! This is chapter seven. Also…did you notice, we finished Cheysuli's part : ) That means that everything from here on out is my own work. YAY!

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Chapter 7

Once Gimli had left the room and closed the door behind him, he leaned against it, clutching the knob in a white-knuckled hand to support his weight. His mind felt numb, only a few scattered and vague thoughts really registering in his head at the moment.

So that was why Legolas wouldn't tell them who the father was.

Now he knew who the idiot was that had slept with Legolas and didn't remember.

He could hear Legolas crying on the other side of the door, as well as the muted sounds of Aragorn and Arwen's attempts to comfort the Elf.

He, Gimli, was the father of Legolas' child.

Slugglishly, Gimli pushed himself away from the door to Legolas' rooms and staggered over to a nearby bench. He sat down heavily, clenching his fists in his lap as he stared at the flagstone floor in a daze.

How could this have happened? He couldn't remember…why would he have slept with his best friend? His _male_ best friend. He had never felt anything of that sort towards Legolas – or any male – before that he could recall. Sure the Elf was fair beyond measure, but then, that was true of pretty much all Elves. And Gimli would not go and sleep with someone just because they were beautiful, even if he was drunk. Dwarves did not take something of that magnitude lightly.

When a Dwarf mated, it was for love only. And they loved but once in their lives. If a Dwarf's mate died, the surviving half of the couple would live out the rest of their days alone. It was unheard of for a Dwarf to sleep with anyone other than their mate. They would one partner and one only all their lives, faithful unto the end. They were an often lonely and solitary race to begin with, very friendly and social, but keeping their private and intimate selves distant to most people. A Dwarf rarely had more than a few close friends and family members, and even more rarely did they find their true mate.

It was already strange to his people that Gimli counted Legolas among his dearest friends, but if the implications were true…if he truly was the father of Legolas' child…if Legolas, drunken party gone wrong or not, had become his _mate_…

Gimli closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall. What was he going to do now?

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Aragorn held onto Legolas while the Elf cried, crooning softly to him in his native Sindarin tongue in a failing attempt to comfort him. Arwen had stared at the door for a moment after Gimli left, then went to help Aragorn tend Legolas. The young Elf sobbed as though his heart had been shattered into a million pieces. After what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes, Legolas fell asleep, the strain from his illness and stress tiring him out faster than normal.

Once they had tucked him back into his bed, drawing the covers close around him, Aragorn explained to Arwen what was going on. To say she was shocked was an understatement.

"But…but – " she sputtered, eyes wide, "You cannot be serious! Legolas – and Gimli – and…oh, this is not good."

"Isn't it?" Aragorn said, watching Legolas contemplatively, his voice soft. Arwen looked down at where the young Mirkwood Prince lay. His eyes were shut, a sign of exhaustion. Elves only ever slept with their eyes closed when ill, injured, or otherwise impaired. As the King and Queen watched, Legolas whimpered softly in his sleep and shifted slightly, fevered dreams disturbing his much needed rest. Aragorn reached down and tenderly rearranged the blankets around him, pushing back a strand of hair that had slipped into the young Elf's face.

He straightened up and turned to look at his wife directly. "Would it really be so terrible? Gimli is an honourable Dwarf; I do not think he would abandon his friend, even with such an obstacle as this. If it is true that Legolas' pregnancy is the result of a mistake two good friends made while drunk, then I do not see why Gimli would find Legolas at fault for what happened, or vice versa. Gimli would not leave his friend alone, especially after he already promised to help Legolas through this.

"I won't say that it will be easy for them. Their peoples and families will no doubt protest, but then, they already protested Legolas and Gimli's friendship in the first place. But the Elf and Dwarf apart are stubborn, and together, they are even worse. I shudder to think of how horribly stubborn their child will be when born."

Arwen cracked a half-hearted smile a this, then voiced her fears. "But that stubborness may also be their undoing. This event has the power to either strengthen their friendship into something more, something the likes of which Middle-earth has never seen before, and likely will not see again. Or, and this is perhaps the more likely, it will break their friendship, and make their lives all the more difficult and lonely."

"That is true," Aragorn admitted, glancing back at the Elf, still sleeping uneasily on the bed. "In either case, both Legolas and Gimli will need our support through this."

Arwen agreed heartily with him on this.

Aragorn expression hardened suddenly. "And if we are going to help them retain their friendship, then I believe I have some business with Master Gimli outside. Keep a close eye on Legolas for me?" he asked, "And call me if there is any trouble."

Arwen nodded, seating herself gracefully on one of the chairs next to Legolas' bed. "Do not hurt him, Estel," she warned, Aragron stopping short at the door to hear her words. "That would do more harm than good at the moment, no matter how much he has upset Legolas."

Aragorn nodded grimly, silently striding from the room.

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Gimli had been sitting on the bench for a long while, he was not sure exactly how long, when the door to Legolas' rooms came open, admitting Aragorn into the hall. The Man turned and carefully shut the door behind him before twisting back around and scanning the hall, freezing when his eyes fell on the Dwarf seated not ten feet away. Gimli felt a shiver run down his spine at the cold look in Aragorn's eyes.

The King walked calmly over to him, more gliding than anything else. The Dwarf was reminded eerily of a great cat, like the ones he had hunted in Mirkwood with Legolas, stalking it's prey. "Gimli," he practically purred, just adding to the effect. An icy grin spread across the Ranger's face, and the Dwarf realized exactly how intimidating Aragorn could be. "Walk with me."

Still feeling numb, Gimli slowly rose to his feet and followed the Ranger-King's retreating form down the hall towards the gardens that Legolas had been working so fervently on. Aragorn led Gimli through the unfinished plant-beds on a likewise in-need-of-repairs stone pathway, stopping just under the low boughs of a young oak tree. The King spun on his heel, and Gimli subconsciously took a step back, wary of the angry fire in his friend's eyes.

"You owe Legolas an apology."

Gimli blinked. Did Aragorn honestly blame him for all of this? Did Legolas? Sightly hurt, though he really couldn't blame either one of them, he opened his mouth to reply. "For getting him pregnant? You heard him yourself, Aragorn, we were drunk. Neither he nor I remember what happened that night. It was a mistake."

Aragorn cut him off before Gimli could go any further. "Not for impregnating him, Gimli. For walking out without a word when he most needed your reassurances."

Gimli's brow creased as he frowned in confusion. He started to ask what Aragorn was talking about, but was again cut off by the King. "He took your leaving the room as a dismissal; he just finished crying himself to sleep. The Valar only know how many times he may have done that before now, knowing he was carrying the child of his best friend, and not knowing how to tell you, for fear of being rejected! Why do you think he hid it in the first place? He was terrified that you would abandon him, that this would ruin your friendship. And just now, you have confirmed his suspicions!"

Gimli listened with growing horror. Legolas didn't really think he would leave him…did he?

"If you intend to save your friendship, and keep from hurting Legolas any further, then you must go and talk to him, and sort this all out. Now."

Gimli hardly heard Aragorn's angered words, as fantasy after wild fantasy passed through his mind; Legolas furious with him for abandoning him and the baby, him and Legolas chasing after a tiny figure with long blond hair and eyes dark as night, Legolas pining to death as his pregnancy and heartbreak wore him out…

Without another word to Aragorn, Gimli turned and set off at a run back to the Elf's rooms, determined to set things right. Legolas' pregnancy with Gimli's child was unexpected, but the Valar damn him if he would abandon his best friend now.

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End Chapter 7

Whee. The first chapter of my own is done! (does happy dance) I hope you all enjoyed it, and I can't wait for any and all feedback! Please review with any thoughts, comments, and/or ideas! Also, please try to give some more constructive feedback than just "update!" "cool!" or "I like it!" If you just say what exactly you like about it, or what could have gone better, it makes writing a lot easier, because then I know what works and what doesn't! I put as much effort into writing the story as possible; is it too much to ask that people put some effort into their reviews? Thanks!


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first six chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption.

So here is chapter eight! Rejoice, for from here on out the story is under my complete jurisdiction! Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

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Chapter 8

Gimli thrust Legolas' door open and stopped short, standing there and gasping for breath as he stared at the Elf lying on the bed. Legolas was sleeping, his eyes shut in exhaustion. Teartracks were still glaringly obvious on his flushed face, and his chest was rising and falling with deep, slightly shuddering breaths. Arwen looked up when she heard the door burst open, her expression slightly blank.

Still breathing heavily, Gimli strode forth to stand next to where the Elf-Lady was seated, his eyes never leaving Legolas' face.

"He hasn't woken yet," Arwen said softly. Gimli nodded distractedly, still not looking away from Legolas. "His dreams are troubled," she added sadly. "He needs you, Gimli. Now more than ever, whether you or even he himself realizes it yet, he needs you with him."

"I'm here," the Dwarf rasped in a dull whisper. He stepped closer to the bed, kneeling down next to the bed and clasping Legolas' hand in his own.

Silently, Arwen rose from her seat, saying nothing as she swept out of the room. She lingered in the door way for a moment, looking back at the Dwarf now muttering softly to Legolas, stroking the sleeping Elf's hair tenderly.

Arwen smiled and shut the door, turning to meet her husband in the hall.

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Gimli gently smoothed Legolas' hair back, smiling softly as the Elf leaned into his touch. A soft sigh escaped the young Prince's lips, followed by a stream of murmured Sindarin that Gimli couldn't comprehend. The nightmares soothed away for now, Gimli pulled his hands away, standing up with a sigh of his own as he ran a hand through his silky brown hair, pushing the loose strands out of his face.

He knew that Legolas and he needed to talk, but what was he going to say? That was why he had left earlier; he was too in shock to think straight, let alone converse comprehensibly. He needed to think things through before he was ready to speak with Legolas.

First off, and most importantly, how would this recent revelation affect their friendship? Would Legolas pull away from him? The Elf had been much more reserved since the one-year anniversary celebration when this had all started. He had practically thrown himself into the rebuilding of the gardens, almost seeming to actively avoid Gimli and Aragorn at times. But the Elf could have taken more desperate measures if he truly wished to end his friendship with the Dwarf. So for that matter at least, Gimli had to conclude that Legolas did indeed wish to continue their friendship.

But why then did he hide it? Why didn't he try to talk to Gimli about it? Just when did Legolas intend to tell him that he was carrying his child? Was he going to wait until the child was born, and only explain when people started wondering why the child had such Dwarvish attributes? Had he even intended to stay, or had he planned on running away? Did he maybe think Gimli would have run away? Did he have so little faith in the Dwarf as to believe that Gimli would leave him for such a thing?

None of these questions could be answered until Legolas awoke, so for the moment, Gimli struggled to calm his temper and stop his furious internal tirade. Getting angry with Legolas and blaming him for the injustice of Fate would do nothing to help. Instead he turned to another important issue created by the recent events.

After all that had happened, what exactly did Legolas mean to him?

He had very suddenly, because of one drunken night, become a father-to-be, possibly lost his closest friend, and spent his one and only chance at ever having a mate…unless Legolas became said mate.

Here Gimli hesitated in his musings, mulling over that thought for a moment. Legolas as his mate…he cared greatly for the Elf; of that he had no doubt. Legolas was the closest friend he had ever had, both of them withstanding everything from the hordes of Mordor to the ire of their parents and peoples to be together. He would gladly give his life for Legolas, but then, he would do the same for Aragorn, or the Hobbits. It did not mean that he loved Legolas in _that_ way.

He supposed that the question here was…did he love Legolas?

To that he had no answer as of yet.

Setting that matter aside, Gimli finally examined the ultimate issue at hand: What was he going to do now?

Whether Legolas and he remained friends or not, it would never change the fact that Gimli would now never be able to take any other mate than the Elf. While at the moment Gimli was convinced that _that_ would never happen, he was also certain he would rather be mateless and still have his closest friend, rather than both mateless _and_ friendless. Legolas was his dearest friend; he could not imagine losing him. The Elf, somehow, even with only a few years of knowing one another, already meant more to him than any other person in the world. He refused to let this get in the way of their friendship, he decided stubbornly. No, leaving Legolas was most certainly not an option.

What of the child? Did he want a part in the baby's life? Yes. Dwarves, reclusive as they were, had extremely close relationships with their family. Rarely was any Dwarf estranged from their family. With the rarity of finding a mate, children were equally rare, coveted and cared for with something approaching obsession by older family members. This child, no matter what the circumstances of it's begetting, was a special and important person to Gimli and always would be. Even if Legolas were to _demand_ that he leave, Gimli knew he would be unable to _not _be a part of his son or daughter's life.

Gimli also knew that this baby would need all the love and support he or she could get. He himself was given difficulty from his own people for befriending an Elf, just as Legolas was for befriending a Dwarf. But this child…the product of the union of an Elf and a Dwarf…would either people accept such a creature? A child who, through no fault of it's own, was both half-Dwarven, and half-Elven? The Dwarves and Elves could hardly accept the existence of the other race, let alone a person of both races. Their child would have many enemies.

Their child. Gimli could hardly believe he was even thinking the words. Him, and Legolas, having a baby. He felt hysterical laughter bubbling up inside him at the absurdity of the situation, and it took his every effort to remain silent so as not to disturb the Elf.

Gimli paused to look down at the object of his contemplations, the laughter dying away as he managed to calm his roiling emotions. The Dwarf stopped and eyed the Elf carefully, frowning as he noticed that Legolas was shivering. He reached out and pulled the blankets up closer around the sleeping Elf, tucking the ends carefully in. He watched carefully for a few moments, his frown deepening when the shivering did not abate.

The Dwarf pushed his hair back behind his ears again, hesitating a moment before kicking off his boots and peeling back the blankets, gingerly climbing into the bed beside his friend. He pulled the Elf into his arms, reaching down to cover them up with the blanket. He hoped that their combined body heat would be enough to help Legolas warm up. The last thing he needed now was for Legolas to catch his death of cold.

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Legolas knew that he was waking up, but at the moment, he felt like it was a better idea to remain sleeping. Something tugged at the back of his mind, a warning of something truly dreadful that he couldn't quite remember, but still knew even in his foggy state was something he did not want to deal with. No, it was much nicer to stay here in this warm, dark lethargia, this half-asleep state, where all he was consciously aware of was the soft bed under him, the warm blankets over him, and the strong, muscled arms holding him to a likewise strong and muscled chest, a silky beard tickling the back of his neck…

Legolas stiffened and his eyes flew open with shock and remembrance. Gimli! Gimli knew!

…And Gimli was in bed with him. Again.

The Elf bucked slightly, struggling against the arms that had tightened when they felt him tense, ready to bolt. A deep voice murmured soft soothing words into his ear, but Legolas' panicked mind did not register the meaning. A sob escaped his lips, nearly inaudible. His mind was screaming at him to get away, while his heart ached with pain.

After another few moments of struggling, Legolas felt the muscled arms catch hold of his wrists, gently but firmly and almost effortlessly flipping him over so that he was facing the Dwarf. Then Gimli had his arms wrapped tightly around him again, holding him close, the Elf's face buried in his chest.

Almost as if he couldn't control himself, Legolas suddenly switched from struggling to get away to clinging to the only offer of comfort. His hands seemed to instinctively catch hold of the Dwarf's soft cotton tunic and began to sob, tears falling from his tightly shut eyes. Legolas found he could not look up, could not face Gimli, not after what his best friend had found out. His shame seemed to grow with every tear that fell, which just made Legolas cry all the harder.

Gimli's only response was to hug him tighter, rubbing his back soothingly as the Elf's frame was racked with sobs.

When Legolas finally had no more tears to cry, he still found that he couldn't look up at Gimli. His sobs were dry, spaced by hiccuping, irregular breaths that made that much harder to find words to speak. What, he didn't know. An apology, perhaps? For crying all over Gimli, for sleeping with him, for not telling him, for anything and everything he could think of.

"Legolas?" he heard the deep voice over his head, and felt the chest rumbling against him. Still unable to speak around the hard lump in his throat, Legolas just shook his head, burrowing his face deeper into the silky, brown beard.

He felt Gimli pull himself into a sitting position, moving so he was cradling the Elf to his chest.

"Mahal, Legolas, I'm so sorry."

This heartfelt confession was enough to make the Elf loose his hold and look up at the Dwarf with reddened teary eyes. Gimli's own eyes were downcast and his hair was falling slightly into his face.

"I don't…" the Dwarf began to speak, sighed, and tried again. "I don't remember what happened that night. I know you don't either. Neither of us meant for this to happen. But it happened anyways. And part of me can't help but blame myself for this."

Legolas fought to swallow the lump in his throat and won, sort of. "Nay, Gimli," he managed to choke out, pausing briefly to swallow again. "You should not apologize. And you should not feel guilty. It is just as you said; neither of us wanted this to happen."

"And yet I know you, too, are blaming yourself, Legolas. I beg you, do not – neither of us are to blame."

Legolas nodded heavily, leaning his forehead against Gimli's chest as a few more tears managed to leak their way out.

"I suppose, " Gimli said hesitantly, "That we should not worry ourselves overmuch of the past. What's done is done. We cannot change what happened."

Gimli paused a moment, and then Legolas felt two of the Dwarf's fingers under his chin, gently tilting his head back so he was looking up at his friend. "Legolas…" he said, his eyes searching the Elf's face, "We can't change what happened. But we can try to work things out now. What say you?"

Legolas swallowed another lump in his throat as he sought to answer the Dwarf. "I say…that we should work things out now," he agreed, giving the dwarf the faintest hint of a smile.

Gimli gave a sad smile of his own in return. "Right then."

An awkward silence fell for a moment before Gimli finally managed to ask Legolas, "What were your intentions before?"

Legolas stiffened again, then relaxed when Gimli's hand came up to caress his back soothingly. "I don't know. I've been a wreck since…since it happened. I didn't know what I was going to do. How was I to tell you? Yes, hello Gimli, lovely weather we're having, isn't it? By the way, remember that party a few monthes ago? The one where we both got incredibly drunk? Well, turns out we slept together and I am now carrying your love-child." He gave a hollow laugh, and Gimli grimaced.

"Yes, I see what you mean. That would have been pretty awkward." He murmured.

Legolas wasn't looking at him again, and gave a cross between a laugh and a hiccup. He sniffed before continuing. "I would have told you sooner or later…I…I just didn't know how," the Elf finished quietly.

Gimli didn't know how to reply, so he just pulled the Elf into another hug, sighing softly when his friend slipped slender arms around him in a return embrace.

"I'm scared, Gimli," the Elf admitted. "I don't know the first thing about how to care for my child, before or after it is born. And I've been so terrified that you would hate me when you found out…that you would hate our child. I don't want the baby to grow up without knowing it's father, and…I don't want to raise the baby alone." His voice cracked, and his arms tightened around the Dwarf, clutching at his tunic in white-knuckled hands. "Please tell me you don't hate me – hate us. I cannot do this alone! Please tell me you'll be there. We don't have to – to _do – _anything…just be there for the baby. Please Gimli! Saes, mellon-nin!" Legolas began to slip into his native Sindarin as his pleas became more frantic, panicked at the idea of losing his dearest friend.

Gimli's arms tightened around Legolas' shaking form again as he shushed the Elf's mumbled words soothingly. "Shh, Legolas, it's alright. I'm not going anywhere."

Eventually Legolas managed to calm down again, and they clung to each other in silence for a few more moments before Gimli spoke again. "I'll take care of you Legolas. You are my best friend; I could never abandon you. And I won't abandon our child either."

Legolas seemed to nearly sag with relief. "Thank you, Gimli," he said, relief and gratitude evident in his voice. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Oh, I think I do," the Dwarf said softly, "After all, it is _my_ child as well, Legolas." He looked down at the blonde head burrowing into his chest and beard and smiled sadly. "It's our child."

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After a few long minutes of simply finding comfort in one another's presence, Gimli rose from the bed, stretching and padding quietly on bare feet over to the hall. He sent for a servant to bring them some food, since it was by now well past dinner, and then turned back to Legolas. The Elf was sitting on the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and running shaking hands over his face and through his hair.

Legolas sighed. "I need a bath," he said tiredly, causing the Dwarf to grin in amusement.

"My dear Legolas, I do believe you take more baths in a week than Aragorn does in six monthes."

"Which is the reason why he smells and I do not," the Elf said cooly with looking up. Gimli chuckled and sat down on the bed behind him, picking up a straw brush from the bedside table and beginning to carefully comb out the tangles in the golden hair. Legolas let out a soft sigh and sat up a little straighter, letting his hands dangle in between his knees, where his arms were resting. The two sat in companionable silence for a moment before Legolas broke the quiet.

"Gimli…what exactly is between us, now?" he said hesitantly.

The Dwarf paused in his ministrations for just a moment before continuing to brush the Elf's hair, thinking his answer over carefully before saying anything.

"I will not lie to you Legolas; Dwarves have only one mate in all their lives. Whether it was a mistake made when drunk or not, I will never be able to take on another lover after this."

Legolas turned around, staring at him with shocked, anguished eyes. "Oh Gimli, mellon…I…I don't know what to say…I am sorry…I – " he bit his lip and looked down at his lap. Yet another way in which he had hurt and failed his friend with this mistake.

"Legolas," the Elf looked up at the soft but firm words. "We already went over this: neither of us are to blame. I do not blame you for what happened, and niether should you blame yourself."

Legolas was torn. "But –"

Gimli cut him off with a finger at his mouth. "It is alright Legolas. It doesn't matter now. There is nothing we can do to change it. I managed this far in my life without a mate; I'm sure I can manage for the rest."

They fell quiet again, and Gimli gently turned the elf back around so he could continue grooming him.

"I do not know for certain," the Dwarf said carefully, "what my exact feelings towards you are at the moment. I know that I consider you my greatest and closest friend, and I know that I care for you very much. Since Dwarves only love once, it is hard for me to say whether or not this is it, because I have never known love of that sort. But I will not try to force you into anything that you are not ready for, or feel comfortable with."

Legolas bit his lip and nodded, pondering the possible outcomes of their relationship. "I think," he said in a low voice, "That it would be best if we were to remain as just friends…for the time being. Who knows? Perhaps our drunkeness that night merely revealed feelings we did not even know we held for one another. If that is the case, then we should give ourselves time to learn what those feelings are. If it never goes beyond platonic emotions, then we will still have one another as friends, as brothers. And our child will still have both it's fathers. If it turns to something more…"

Legolas trailed off then, letting Gimli's imagination finish the meaning. The Dwarf continued to brush his hair, pausing at one particularly stubborn knot. He finished working out the tangles, and set the brush back down on the bedside table before scooting forward to sit next to Legolas on the bed. He took the Elf's hand in his, waiting until Legolas was looking at him to speak. "That's sounds like a good plan to me," he said, smiling at his Elven friend.

Legolas smiled back.

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End Chapter 8

Gods, I just feel like Legolas is constantly asleep or unconscious in this fic! So I will try and keep the Elf awake for longer periods of time in the future. :) The angst factor should tone down a bit for a while too.

For those of you not fluent in Elvish or capable of figuring out things from context, "saes, mellon-nin," means "please, my friend."

**Please read! Important! **If you wondered about the way I describe Gimli, then please keep in mind that this Gimli is far from the waist high, comic relief figure the movies portray him as. If there was one complaint I have about the movies, it was the fact that the dwarves were seriously degraded and ridiculed. If you do not believe me, then go read the fanfic Of Fire and Stars by Gecco. It's one of my all-time favorite stories ever, written by a Legolas/Gimli fan. I'd like to take a moment to thank Gecco for helping me to see the true Gimli again after the movies blinded me. Don't get me wrong; I loved the movies to death! But they were extremely insulting towards the Dwarves…and the Elves, too, at times. You don't really think about it until it's pointed out to you, but it's true! They depict Dwarves as short, naïve, comical characters, and the Elves are snobby pretty-boys that talk in monotones. You can find Of Fire and Stars in my favorites list, and I seriously recommend you read it. It's one of the most magnificent pieces of literature – including published, nonfanfiction works – that I have ever read. If you want to see Gecco's artwork depicting her vision of Gimli, inspired by the way the books describe him, you can find that at her deviantArt account. Her username there is RedRo. After seeing her art and reading her story, I now picture Gimli the way he really was again; a strong, smart, good-looking, and truly wonderful character.

Okay, enormous author's note done now! Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first six chapters were written by Cheysuli, who recently decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. Please remember that this is book-verse, and not movie-verse

I wrote the last two chapters in a single weekend. I'm on a roll, here! Go me! Sorry about the wait in between updates. I got caught in the middle of the first month of my senior year, and haven't had much time to spare.

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Chapter 9

He watched them from his hiding place behind a large stone pillar on the edge of the courtyard. The Elf and Dwarf seemed to be arguing, a thought that made him frown in displeasure. _'I do not understand how anyone could ever deny you anything, my love._' He gave a soft, wistful sigh, careful not to let himself be overheard by passersby, or by the two in the garden. It wouldn't do for him to be discovered, especially by the Dwarf.

What did Legolas see in the Dwarf, that he would spend so much of his time with him? He didn't understand, and eyed the creature critically as he tried to determine the cause of Legolas' devotion. The Dwarf was wearing a pair of old boots over dirty brown breeches and an old tunic that had the sleeves torn off. The tunic was currently drenched with sweat from exertion and the hot July sun. His long dark hair had been hastily tied back out of his face with a strip of old cloth, but a few sweat-coated strands had pulled loose to cling to the skin of the Dwarf's face.

In comparison, Legolas was completely dry and barefoot, wearing cream-colored leggings and a matching tunic that, like the clothes of the Dwarf, were smeared with dirt. His honey-blonde hair was hanging loose, here and there a stray leaf or small twig clinging to the locks. Legolas was standing with his legs spread apart, his arms crossed over his chest in stubborn annoyance. A streak of dirt was drawn across the Elf's cheek, and his hands were darkened with the rich soil he had been spreading liberally around his plants earlier.

He stared, enraptured with the vision of Elven beauty, before shaking his head with a besotted smile and turning back to continue his analysis of the Dwarf.

Grudgingly, he had to admit that the Dwarf was somewhat physically appealing. Large, strong muscles rippled under tanned skin, and fiery brown eyes set in a comely face took in everything around them. But the Dwarf's manner…as far as he knew, the previous member of the Fellowship was loud, crude, and overall annoying. He had little respect for their great city, pointing out problems in the masonry invisible to all eyes but his as he strode down the street at Legolas' side, talking about how much improved his people would make it when the new Dwarves arrived.

When he wasn't talking about stonework, something he knew bored the Elf, the Dwarf was usually picking fights and arguing with Legolas. At times, Legolas would try to turn the conversation to something more interesting, such as the renovations he was planning for the gardens, and the Elvish plants he was having his kin bring in from Mirkwood in the North. But the Dwarf would laugh and restart their long-running debate over which was better, everlasting stone and mountains, or fleeting, changeable forests. He would tease the Elf mercilessly, poking fun at Legolas' dream of filling the city with trees in every courtyard, so as to enhance the beauty of the White City.

'_He is so disagreeable, and he's cruel to you, my love. Why do you put up with his missplaced scorn?' _He frowned again. Of course, he was on Legolas' side in all issues, no matter who the opposing side, or whether or not the Elf was in the right. After all, what kind of man would he be if he didn't support his lover?

Moving quietly, he edged closer so as to hear their conversation better.

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Legolas sighed in exhasperation and pushed a hand through his hair, wrinkling his nose as his pulled the twig from where it had caught on the golden strands. The Elf was standing in the middle of a patch of bare dirt stretching between a set of young poplar trees. Gimli stood near him, glaring right back at the Elf with his feet planted firmly on top of a pile of rubble, leftovers from the seige of Minas Tirith towards the end of the war.

The enemies catapults had caused much damage to the city, but now, just over a year later, the worst of it had been repaired, and the old damaged stonework had been broken down into smaller pieces to be reused for repairs. Legolas had wanted some stone for the gardens and laid claim to a large amount of broken down brick for his use in the gardens. His current project was a winding walkway leading through the garden and under the trees. Because of the Elf's pregnancy, Gimli insisted that any and all heavy lifting, digging, and exertion of any kind be done by him. And so he had joined the Elf in the gardens today, ready to help his friend.

Of course, Gimli's current idea of helping was something more along the lines of starting up yet another companionable argument with the Elf.

"Legolas, a complete pathway will be much easier to follow. It shows more of a designated area for walking," the Dwarf said coaxingly.

Legolas remained stubborn. "Yes, but stepping stones make it more subtle. They won't divide the garden in two as a path would, and will make it seem a lot more open."

"Trust me, Legolas, solid stonework will provide a focal point."

"But there's already a focal point! The entire garden is the focal point! The idea is that the whole garden will catch your eye, not just one part! Stepping stones make it more tangible, less stand-offish!"

Gimli's eyebrows raised, and a small amused smile traced across his face. "Stand-offish? My dear Elf, you are no longer even making sense anymore!"

Legolas gave a haughty sniff. "It is no fault of mine if you cannot understand simple logic."

It was then that a new voice cut into the debate, and the two turned to watch as Faramir stepped into the courtyard. "While, like yourself, Gimli, I do not understand what Legolas meant by a complete path being 'stand-offish', I'm afraid I agree with the Elf on this point, Master Dwarf. Simple stepping stones are more appropriate for a garden of this size," he said, looking around at the small space. Legolas smirked smugly.

"In any case," the Steward continued, "The entire city is already made of stonework; the gardens should have as little masonry as possible in order to break the pattern."

Gimli thought that over and then reluctantly nodded. "Very well, then. Stepping stones it is."

Legolas smiled and went over to the large pile of broken down stone brickwork, starting to pull out smaller pieces, little large than a fist, that still had at least one flat side, and laid them in a second pile off to the side. Gimli hopped down off of the large pile of rock and began to help, waving away Legolas' protests that he could handle this himself.

Faramir watched the pair critically for a moment. Sometimes, those two acted more like lovers than friends or brothers. He shook his head slightly, a small smile on his face. "By the way, friends," he said, waiting for the pair to look back at him before continuing, "Aragorn wants you to join him, Arwen, and some other friends for dinner tonight." Aragorn had had one of the unused Noble's suites set up as a private place for him and his family and friends to spend time together, and had often used it to host private dinners together with his closest friends. "I hope to see you there?"

"Of course, friend Faramir!" Legolas called out, "We shall be there!"

He smiled again. "Excellent! I fear I must go now, but I shall speak to you again tonight!"

Legolas and Gimli called out some parting words as he left the courtyard.

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Over the course of the afternoon, and between the two of them, the Elf and Dwarf had arranged a trail of stepping stones that wove in and out of the trees, each step composed of a group of five or six smaller rocks dug into the ground so that the flat sides faced the top. It had been exhausting work to dig in the many pieces of broken brick, and Gimli found himself glad that he had agreed to stepping stones rather than a full path. As it was, he was still concerned that Legolas may have over exerted himself, even though the Dwarf had insisted on doing all the heavy-duty work himself.

After cleaning up, the Elf and Dwarf had gone together to the King's private entertainment rooms, and there they laughed and talked with friends over a simple meal of venison, bread, and fresh fruit. At Gimli's insistance that he should rest after working so hard in the garden, Legolas had retired early, excusing himself from the group shortly after dinner. The Dwarf had planned to escort Legolas to his rooms, concerned both that the Elf might be too exhausted to make it back on his own (despite his loud and vehement exclaimations that he was just fine) and that the stalker might take advantage of the fact that the Elf was wandering the corridors half-asleep, alone. But, just as he was about to excuse himself and leave with his friend, Faramir and Eowyn announced that they too wished to retire, and volunteered to walk with him, as their rooms were just down the hall from Legolas'. And so Gimli remained, safe in the knowledge that Faramir and Eowyn would be more than capable of looking after one wayward Elf prince.

Shortly afterwards, Halbarad, Aragorn's long-time friend from his days as a Ranger in the north, excused himself as well, and Gimli found himself alone with the King and Queen of Gondor. Arwen was engrossed in an antique book she had discovered in the library, and was paying no attention to the conversation. It was the perfect opportunity to ask Aragorn something that had been plaguing his mind for days.

"Aragorn," Gimli said hesitantly, "There is something I would ask you, if I may?"

"What is it, Gimli?" Aragorn asked in bemusement.

"How exactly is it that Legolas is able to carry a child?" the Dwarf asked, mystified.

Aragorn looked surprised for a moment, then chuckled softly. "I never did explain, did I?"

"No," the Dwarf replied. "All you said was that it did not matter with Mirkwood Elves, but we were otherwise preoccupied at the time, and you never elaborated."

"Allow me to do so now," the Ranger-King said, leaning forward in his seat. "As you should know, when a male and female mate, the female becomes impregnated and carries the child. There are special organs within and outside the bodies of the different genders that each contribute to this. The ones within the female body, the womb, is what holds the child. Whereas the male has the appropriate genetaelia for impregnating the female."

"Aye, Aragorn, I know this," Gimli said, his cheeks tinted a slight pink at the blunt explanation. The experienced healer took no notice of the Dwarf's slight embarrassment.

"Yes, well, here we are going into territory you may be unfamiliar with. In all the races, there are problems that can happen under certain circumstances during the pregnancy that affect the child. And sometimes the child is born with such a complication for no apparent reason at all, be it a physical or mental problem. Now, there is a certain rare birth defect where, for some reason known only to the Valar, the child is born with the mating organs of both genders."

"Yes, I know about…" Gimli trailed off as the point Aragorn was trying to make sunk in. "Are you telling me Legolas is a hermaphrodite?"

Aragorn just barely managed to hold back a wince. "For all intents and purposes, yes. But I do not suggest you call him that to his face."

Gimli stared incredulously at Aragorn. "You've got to be joking. What happened to, 'It doesn't matter for Mirkwood Elves'?"

"I'm getting to that," the Ranger-King said earnestly. "To be more specific, it's the Silvan Elves that it doesn't matter for. See, for some strange reason, the Wood Elves 'male' gender is born with the reproductive organs of both sexes. Aside from that, they are male in every way; attitude, physical capablities, appearance (though they tend to look more androgynous than others), etcetera. The Silvans generally consider any child born as a 'hermaphrodite' to be male, and the majority of the other free peoples are none the wiser. In Legolas' case, he is half-Wood Elven, and received the attribute which enables him to bear a child."

"Ah. That's…that's…unexpected…"Gimli murmured, feeling slightly dazed.

"More or less unexpected than his pregnancy in the first place?" Aragorn asked with a raised eyebrow.

Gimli had to admit, Aragorn had a point there.

"On very rare occasions," The King continued in his explanation, "a Silvan 'hermaphrodite' prefers to be looked on as female, but the majority consider themselves male. Legolas, obviously, is one of these, and chooses to be viewed as male. But in any case, that should answer your question as to how it is possible for Legolas to become pregnant."

"Yes," Gimli said distractedly. "That it does." He shook his head and blinked, looking up at Aragorn. "Thank you for explaining that to me, my friend. I appreciate it."

Aragorn nodded. "Of course! Oh, one more thing, I suggest you not pester Legolas about it, alright? Many 'male' Wood Elves tend to be about touchy about their gender, being on the receiving end of many cruel or ignorant comments for something they've no control over."

Gimli nodded solemnly. "I understand perfectly," he said, thinking of how the majority of the Elves and Dwarves hated one another for no reason other than the fact that they were different from each other.

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He sighed as he watched Legolas bade farewell to the Steward and his wife and shut the door to his room. His eyes followed the couple as they walked down the hall to their own rooms, talking merrily amongst themselves. Jealousy flashed up in his heart. How he wished that he and Legolas could go about the city of Minas Tirith as they did, holding hands, with the beautiful Elf staring adoringly into his eyes while the Dwarf was left skulking in the shadows, watching as Legolas found someone better. The thought made him smile crookedly.

Someday…someday that dream would be a reality, he swore it to himself.

And this…he looked down at the pieces of parchment in his hands. One was the sketch from a few days ago, when he first heard of Legolas' pregnancy. The second was another drawing. The other day he had been wandering in the garden after his love had gone in, admiring the Elf's work, when he had looked up to see Legolas in an open window, resting on the windowsill a few stories up, looking out at the night sky. The sight had been so breath-taking, he had hidden in a shadowy corner of the courtyard so he could sketch his love unnoticed. Out of all his pieces so far, this was one of his favorites. The third parchment was covered with rows of elegant script written in green ink. Green, to match Legolas' eyes.

This would be the catalyst. Soon, he would no longer have to wait in the shadows. Soon Legolas would know him, and love him.

Soon…

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End Chapter 9

Whoo…that…was the most infuriating chapter…I rewrote each part about five times each! But, I think I got it the way I wanted.

Heh, so yeah. Remember I said that this story doesn't follow movie-canon, so Gimli isn't gross? Same goes for Legolas; book-canon, not movie. I actually usually picture Legolas with dark hair, but Cheysuli already had him written in here as blonde, and I can deal with it for now. : ) But I hereby announce his eyes GREEN instead of blue! MWAHAHAHAHA! (coughchokesputterwheezedie)

BTW, fear me, for I have joined the cult of Cliffie-Writers. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Please remember to review: )


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: This fic will contain slash, mpreg, and violence for certain.

Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien, and this particular fanfiction was not orignally mine. The first six chapters were written by Cheysuli, who decided to retire from her fanfiction career and put all her stories up for adoption. Please remember that this is book-verse, and not movie-verse

I'm terribly sorry about the long wait! Around December, a very close friend of mine and I had long and painful falling out that stretched on into February. That killed any mood I had for writing at all, especially for fics big on friendship, like this one. This chapter has been sitting on my laptop half-finished for monthes, and then towards the beginning of this month, I suddenly realized, holy crap, I haven't even looked at my fanfic account in monthes! But never fear, I have returned, and I bring you a new chapter!

Woah….I made it to chapter ten…(faints) So far, I have plans for about seven more chapters after this, and I still haven't finished…oh well! It means you get a longer story! XD This one's for Larien, since she's had such a crapout spring break. Huggles, love!

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Chapter 10

Gimli rose fairly late the next morning, something that was unusual for him. He normally rose with the sun, but today when he woke, the sun was already high overhead. _'And no wonder,'_ he thought to himself as he padded down the halls towards Legolas' rooms, _'With Legolas needing looking after more than usual these past few weeks, I'm exhausted.'_ He did not begrudge his friend though. Legolas was having enough of a rough time of his own.

He came to the door and knocked softly. He could hear some quiet movements inside the room, and then a moment later the door opened, revealing Legolas standing in the doorway. The Elf looked troubled, and Gimli was immediately on his guard. "Legolas?" he said, worried, "Everything alright?"

"I am well, Gimli," the blonde replied. "I just did not sleep very well last night." Gimli frowned, but Legolas continued before he could say anything.

"Also, I…when I woke…er…"

Gimli grew more concerned as Legolas struggled to find his words. The usually eloquent Elf was actually stuttering! "What's wrong, my friend?" Gimli said. "You can tell me."

Legolas looked slightly miserable, but at length he turned around and walked over to his bedside table and began rummaging through a drawer.

"You and Aragron both seemed so worried about it before, I thought you might want to know…"

He stood and turned around, clutching a yellow parchment envelope. "I am still unsure as to why these drawings bother you so much, but…here," he handed Gimli the envelope. "I found this on my floor when I rose. Whoever slipped it under my door did so while I was asleep, or I would have heard them."

Gimli took the envelope, his face guarded. It had already been opened, and he turned it over and slipped out the papers within. Gimli let the envelope fall to the floor as he stared hard at the pieces of parchment. Here were, not one, but _two_ drawings, equivalent in skill, style, and detail to the one from a few days ago. The first was a sketch of Legolas sitting on a windowsill, gazing off into the distance. The second caught Gimli's eye for two reasons. For one, the Elf was naked. For another, he was glaringly, obviously pregnant.

The stalker knew.

Gimli set aside this disturbing thought for a moment in favor of looking at the third and final paper. He was slightly surprised to find that it was a letter. He skimmed through the contents, his alarm and concern for Legolas' safety growing the entire time.

"Gimli?"

The Dwarf looked up to find Legolas watching him in confusion and worry. "You would not be so concerned if this was not of vital importance. What is wrong, mellon-nin? Why do these disturb you so?"

"Did you read the letter?" Gimli asked, evading the Elf's question with one of his own.

"Not yet," he said. "Once I saw the drawings, I remembered your reaction the last time this occurred, and I thought you would want to know before anything else happened."

Gimli nodded, then headed over to the wall, where Legolas' bow and long knife were up on display. His quiver and pack leaned against the wall under them. The Dwarf reached up and took down the blade from it's rack, handing it to the confused Elf and then rummaging in Legolas' pack for the sheath and belt.

"Why are you getting my weapons out, Gimli?"

"Because things are more worrisome than I thought," he said gruffly as he girded the belt about Legolas' waist, taking the knife and thrusting it into it's sheath when that was done. "Legolas, I want you to promise that you will go nowhere, not to the gardens, or even the privy, without taking your knife with you."

"But why?" the Elf cried, looking alarmed. "Surely there is no danger here! Why, we are in the middle the King's palace, mellon!"

Gimli took Legolas by the hand and led him from the room, heading down the hall towards his own rooms, where he brought Legolas in with him while he fetched his own weapons.

"Gimli, please answer me! What is going on?"

Gimli stopped arming himself at the upset look on his friend's face. His own expression softened, and he set down his Morian battle-axe onto the bed. The Dwarf stepped forward and put a hand up to cup Legolas' face. The Elf leaned into the touch, but his pleading expression did not lessen.

The Dwarf sighed and let his hand drop. "I will explain everything in a moment Legolas. We must go and see Aragorn immediately, he will need to know about this."

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_Dearest Legolas,_

_I do hope you like the drawings. I have been told I am rather skilled in art._

_I send you this letter because I do not wish to hide anymore. I should think that it is obvious what I am hiding. I love you, my Legolas. So much that it hurts me inside._

_I suppose you must think me silly; here I am a full-grown man, and I am still spouting poetry like a lovesick adolescent. And yet, I am lovesick. I suppose that is the irony of it. But it is something I cannot help. Ever since we first met, I have been unable to so much as look at anyone else but you. How could I? How could anyone ever compare with you, whose loveliness outshines even the stars in the sky?_

_I had once thought that perhaps you were only beautiful to me because you are Elfkind, where I had only ever seen Men. But the queen is Elven as well, and I can see that you are truly unique even among the Elves. Most of my peers say that the Queen's beauty surpasses all. I assure you they are wrong. The Queen is pretty enough, but hers is a softer, sweeter, simpler kind of beauty. You, my love, you are as a thunderstorm; wonderful and terrible, beautiful and powerful, full of passion and emotion, wild, untameable, but desired by all who see you. Whoever you permit to become close to you must be blessed indeed, or rather, I should say that any to have caught even a glimpse of you is blessed. For who could ever be worthy to stand in your presence? _

_I greatly anticipate the birth of your child, my love. I am certain that this babe will be as lovely a child as is possible, with you for it's parent. I was unaware that Elf males were even capable of such a miracle until I caught word of your pregnancy. Congratulations, my love. I pray that your baby is born hale and whole. May your child be as amazing and beautiful as you yourself are._

_Rest assured, even if the child were born sickly, I would still care for it, for it is of your blood, and therefore blessed beyond measure. I will look out for you, and our baby, my love, even if you can't see me. I will be there, and I will make sure that all your hurts are healed, all your pains relieved. You and the child will want for nothing, I swear to you._

_And someday soon, I will reveal myself to you in full. Very soon, I will hold you in my arms, my love, and we can be together. Not yet, though. I wish to allow you to get to know me first. I already know you quite well; it seemed unfair that you should not know me in return, when my love for you is so great. You deserve to be loved, coveted. I shall do both._

_With all my love,_

_I am yours, now and forever._

Aragorn set let the hand holding the note fall to the table. His eyes were wide and worried, and he stared off into space as he thought over what he had read. Feeling eyes on him, he looked over at Gimli to see the Dwarf gazing at him piercingly. Legolas frowned as he looked back and forth between them, trying to discern what had his two closest friends so worked up.

"You realize what this means?" the Dwarf said breathlessly. "We have not been careful enough. He knows Legolas is pregnant; he must have been listening in before!"

"Who?" Legolas asked. "Do you mean the artist of the drawings?"

"Perhaps," Aragorn said to Gimli, frowning and running his hand over his face. "Or mayhap we were overheard by a servant, and he heard it from one of them."

"Aragorn, if a servant had heard, all of Minas Tirith would be speaking of it by now!" Gimli replied. "And for all we know, he could _be_ one of the servants!" he added heatedly.

"I think," Aragorn said slowly, "That it is time we called in some outside help. I am a master tracker, but not in this manner. No broken branches or stray bootprints will lead me to this quarry, and I do not know how to follow a trail such as this. I will search out the best city-tracker in Gondor in order to catch this man."

"Yes, yes, that's all well and good," Legolas said, "But _why_? I do not understand; why do these drawings bother you and Gimli so? Surely there is no harm in a drawing?"

Gimli and Aragorn exchanged glances, and the Dwarf let out a sigh. Taking the Elf's hand, he led him over to a cushioned chair and motioned for him to sit.

"Legolas, what exactly do you think about these drawings?" Aragorn asked once the Elf was comfortable.

Legolas looked slightly startled. "I do not know," he said after a moment. I don't really know what to think, except that they are done with a fair amount of skill, and I wonder who it is that draws them and leaves them for me to find. But surely whoever it is means no harm? They're just drawings. There are more effective ways of hurting one than drawing a picture."

"Aye, Legolas," the Dwarf said gently, still holding the Elf's hand, "It is true that they are simple drawings. But it is the ideas behind them. Legolas, this person knows you well, intimately, almost. You do not know this person, and yet they seem to invade on your privacy at any chance possible! There are sketches of you in _the baths_, you told me of those yourself. And now," he pulled one of the new drawings towards him and showed it to Legolas, "He knows of your pregnancy, something only the three of us and Arwen know about as of yet. He has been spying on you, eavesdropping! His ways are dishonest, and he does NOT mean you well, no matter what he tries to claim."

Legolas looked troubled. "Let me see the letter," he said quietly, and Aragron handed it to him. The Elf read the letter quickly, his brow furrowing deeper. Once he'd finished, he looked up.

"He does not seem to wish me any harm. But…" Legolas bit his lip. "You two would not be so upset without cause. Is it really so horrible for me to have a secret admirer?"

The man and Dwarf were taken aback at this statement, and when they did not answer, Legolas continued. "Is it wrong for this person to have feelings for me? He has done no crime thus far."

"Legolas," Gimli said incredulously. "He has seen you _in the baths_! He _follows_ you all over the city!"

"The same could be said of either of you!" Legolas shot back. "So what if he likes me? He is harming no one!"

"Did you even read it at all?" Gimli cried in outrage. He tore the letter from Legolas' grasp and thrust it into the Elf's startled face. "Look at the way he speaks to you! Look! He has no regard for your feelings towards him. He acts as though you belong to him, speaks of you like a piece of property! He claims OUR CHILD to be HIS!" Gimli hand tightened into a fist, crumpling the letter. Eye's blazing, he snarled and threw the letter at the Elf before turning away. He began to pace, breathing heavily and muttering furiously under his breath.

Pale –faced, Legolas watched his friend rage with a mild amount of shock. He had scarcely seen the Dwarf so angry. Aragorn watched as well, shaking his head distractedly. "Gimli, my friend, calm yourself. This is solving nothing." The Dwarf snarled in response.

The Ranger simply shook his head again, then turned to sit next to the Elf on the bed. "Mellon, you must understand this, this is very important. This person is an unknown entity. We know nothing of him aside from his devoted obsession with you. This could very likely be an extremely dangerous individual. Or, he could, as you say, be truly harmless, but – " He held up a hand to wave off Gimli's outraged growl, "we cannot take that chance. Especially with the baby. If he was to hurt you, Legolas…" The king trailed off, watching the Elf carefully.

Legolas looked miserable, and he chewed on his lower lip as he thought hard, wrapping his arms around his middle subconsciously. Abruptly, he stood and went to the Dwarf. Gimli had his back to the Elf, his shoulders hunched and tense. The Dwarf's agitated motions stilled as he felt Legolas slip his arms around him from behind.

"Gimli, please do not be angry with me," the pregnant Elf said in a small voice.

The Dwarf sighed and relaxed, leaning back against the Elf's chest and reaching a hand up to grip Legolas' arm. "I'm not angry, Legolas. I'm terribly, horribly concerned. I do not wish to see you hurt!"

"But why would he hurt me if he claims to love me?" Legolas asked, sounding troubled. "I would imagine most people would feel flattered to have such an admirer. However… perhaps it is just your agitation rubbing off on me, but something tells me something's not right with this."

"The problem, Legolas," Aragorn spoke up, "Is that while he believes himself to be in love with you, what he is probably truly feeling is lust. It can be difficult to discern between the two at times. If he genuinely cared for you, he would not intrude upon your privacy as he has done thusly."

Legolas abruptly let go of the Dwarf and turned to stare at Aragorn, his face looking pinched and shadowed. "You mean to say…that all he cares for is his own sexual gratification?"

Aragorn stood and went to the Elf, putting his hands on Legolas' shoulders

"That's exactly what I'm telling you, Legolas. You must listen carfeully, you MUST understand what I am telling you! This is vitally important for your safety!"

Legolas swallowed heavily, meeting Aragorn's gaze and holding it. "I'm listening."

"This man does not love you, Legolas. He takes pleasure just in watching you, without your knowledge or consent. Think about what may happen if he was to address you directly. He might force himself on you, with no concern for your wishes and feelings. Even you should know what happens if an Elf is taken against their will. If you touches you, you. Will. Die."

The Elf's breathing quickened, and he jerked out of Aragorn's grasp, shoving the Ranger-king away from him. "Aragorn, please," he said quietly. He said nothing more but both his companions could tell that he just wanted Aragorn to stop talking. He took a step backwards, away from the king, and was met by Gimli's arms wrapping around his waist from behind. He jumped slightly, his hands instinctively moving to cover Gimli's, which rested on his abdomen, just over where the baby was.

"Legolas, you must be careful. We keep telling you that this person is dangerous. You understand, don't you?"

"Yes," He said, head bowed. "I understand now." He looked up, tossing his hair back. His expression was stony and determined, and both Aragorn and Gimli heaved a sigh of relief inside. Legolas the Warrior was back now. "I will not let anything hurt my baby. And he will not touch me," he said resolutely. "We must find him and stop him, before he has a chance to try anything."

"We will help, Legolas. You do not have to face this alone," Gimli said, tightening his hold on the Elf. Legolas smiled and squeezed the Dwarf's arm in response. "Yes, I know."

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He stalked hurriedly through the streets, his thoughts coming so quickly and so furiously they became jumbled. He turned into an alleyway, a shortcut home that he had used since he was a small child, and paused a moment. Breathing heavily, he leaned against the wall and sighed. He had to calm down, or he was going to start attracting attention.

But how could he remain calm? That …that DWARF! How dare he? The mine-rat was turning his lovely against him! And worse, he was succeeding! "oh Legolas," he murmured breathily, "If only you did not trust the creature so!" He ran a hand over his face, pushing lank hair back out of his face and heaved a sigh.

And the King as well…but he did not understand. He had not grown up in Gondor, he could not hope to understand it's people. The Dwarf was poisoning his love against him, and was turning the King against him as well. They planned to hire a city-tracker to find him and stop him, did they? Well, so be it! He would let nothing stand in the way of his love for the Elf. Not a king, not a city-tracker, and not some stupid, mangy Dwarf!

He would have to find a way to get closer to the Elf soon, in order to keep his mind from becoming too tainted by the Dwarf's lies, and to try and cast suspicions elsewhere.

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End Chapter 10

Oi, that took forever…the biggest issue with this chapter was the scene just after Legolas reads the letter. I actually had two versions; one where Legolas is more submissive and frightened, which would have made it easier for what I have planned for later. But if there's one complaint I have about Cheysuli's work, it's that Legolas is almost too sweet and naïve. He may be young, but he's also a hardened warrior. So I've been trying to bring that side of him out more, hence the empowerment and initiative he takes in this chapter. I'm still not quite happy with it, but I've been holding out on you guys for monthes, so…happy birthday!

Don't forget to leave a review letting me know what you think! I love hearing from my readers, no matter what they have to say!


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